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TORTINGTON

The parish of Tortington, site of a medieval
Augustinian priory, lies on the west bank of the
river Arun south of Arundel town. (fn. 1) The ancient
parish had 1,116 a., but in 1902 the north-east
corner (c. 85 a.) was added to Arundel parish
and borough, together with a strip of waste land
on the north side of the Chichester-Arundel
road including the White Swan public house; (fn. 2)
part of the former land was already built up, and
most of the rest of it was developed later. (fn. 3) In
1933 Tortington acquired the whole of Binsted,
making a total of 2,136 a. (864 ha.), (fn. 4) but in 1985
the enlarged parish was divided up, portions
being added to Arundel, Ford, Slindon, and
Walberton. (fn. 5) The present article deals with the
ancient parish except that some aspects of the
history of the north-east quarter before 1902 are
treated under Arundel. (fn. 6)

The ancient parish was roughly triangular in
shape, with the apex in the south. The land
slopes gently from north to south, and towards
the valleys of the river Arun and of a tributary
stream in the east and west respectively. Most
of the parish lies on brickearth, with clay and
gravels in the north-east and north-west corners
and alluvium in the valleys. (fn. 7)

The valley land since its inning from the river
estuary has generally been pasture and meadow. (fn. 8)
In the mid 16th century the lord of the manor
built a bank to defend part at least of the
common brook from the river, (fn. 9) and in 1606
riverside land belonging to the Priory estate had
defensive banks to north and south as well as
east. (fn. 10) Land outside the banks, called slipes, was
used as saltmarsh pasture. (fn. 11) By the late 18th
century the river was embanked throughout the
parish. (fn. 12) There were occasional floods in the mid
19th century (fn. 13) and later until the banks were
heightened in the 1960s. (fn. 14)

A duck decoy in the south-west was recorded
apparently from 1666. (fn. 15)

The north-east corner of the parish lay within
Arundel Great park in the Middle Ages, (fn. 16) and
in 1331 was described as a park called the
Rooks. (fn. 17) In the 1660s Rooks wood of c. 160 a.
was said to lie three quarters in Tortington and
a quarter in Arundel; most was underwood and
bushes where cattle and horses were pastured in
summer, but the lessee after 1663 cut much
wood and timber and divided the land into
closes. (fn. 18) By the early 18th century only 40-60 a.
remained woods, (fn. 19) the rest having been converted to agriculture. (fn. 20) There was a large pond
beside the boundary with Arundel in the early
19th century. (fn. 21)

The north-west part of the parish was common
heathland apparently by 1468, (fn. 22) with a gate
called Heathgate (fn. 23) or Knowles gate on its south
side. The lord of the manor had been inclosing
land there before 1606. (fn. 24) The land was called
Tortington common by 1581. (fn. 25) By 1706 it was
woodland, (fn. 26) as it continued to be in 1990; by c.
1840 it was coppiced, together with the remains
of Rooks wood. (fn. 27) At the latter date there were
232 a. of woodland in the parish, including 221
a. at Tortington common. (fn. 28) In 1852 the woods
of the parish were well stocked with game. (fn. 29) The
southern portion of Tortington common in the
1980s was chiefly old deciduous woodland and
the northern part mixed deciduous with conifers. (fn. 30) In 1990, like the neighbouring part of
Binsted, Tortington common felt surprisingly
remote, considering its nearness to Arundel and
to the Chichester-Arundel road.

Roman pottery and tiles have been found in a
close south of the priory (fn. 31) and a medieval moated
site further south-east. (fn. 32) Other medieval settlement perhaps lay chiefly near the priory or the
church and manor house. (fn. 33) Subsidiary settlement in the west part, including Knowles farm, (fn. 34)
apparently represents assarts from Tortington
common. (fn. 35) There were only nine houses in 1801,
14 in 1831, 20 in 1851, and 29 in 1871. (fn. 36) A pair
of cottages dated 1846 by Ford station in the
southern tip of the parish were evidently built
by the railway company, (fn. 37) and there are many
Norfolk estate cottages of the late 19th century
and early 20th. A caravan site near the station
had both permanent and temporary residences
in 1991. (fn. 38)

Medieval and early 16th-century population
figures for Tortington are subsumed in those for
Binsted. (fn. 39) Nineteen adult males signed the protestation in 1642 (fn. 40) and in 1676 thirty inhabitants
were listed in the Compton census. (fn. 41) There were
nine families in 1724. (fn. 42) In 1801 the population
was 68, rising to 88 in 1821 and, after a fall, to
452 in 1901. The reduced area of the parish
excluding the partly urban north-east corner had
132 inhabitants in 1901 and 152 in 1931, and the
enlarged area including Binsted had 259 in 1931,
rising to 294 in 1951, 617 in 1961, and 945 in
1981. (fn. 43)

A route across the north end of the parish south
of the modern Chichester-Arundel road apparently existed in Roman times (fn. 44) and was still used
in the 17th and 18th centuries. (fn. 45) In 1990 it
survived as a track. Priory Road represents what
was presumably the first part of the medieval
road from Arundel, which originally continued
to the priory and thence to the church and manor
house. (fn. 46) Its northern section had ceased to be
used by 1795, (fn. 47) when another road to Tortington, first noted in 1778, led south from the
Chichester-Arundel road near the site of the
White Swan public house. The section of road
between the priory and the church was diverted
westwards in the early 19th century to give
privacy to the grounds of Tortington House. (fn. 48)
A southwards continuation of the road from
Tortington church to Ford was mentioned in
1573, (fn. 49) apparently fording the Binsted brook. (fn. 50)
It ceased to be used apparently by the late 18th
century and certainly by 1847. (fn. 51) The modern
north-south road through the parish was made
in 1846 by the railway company to link Arundel
with what was then its station. (fn. 52) Until the road
was taken over by the county council in 1937 (fn. 53)
a toll was levied at the level crossing by the
station to pay for upkeep. (fn. 54) Other roads in the
parish were various paths leading towards the
river depicted in 1778, (fn. 55) and a road from the site
of the White Swan public house to Binsted.

The railway line from Lyminster to Chichester
was opened through the parish in 1846 with a
station in the south corner to serve Arundel; at
first called Arundel, it was renamed Ford Junction
after the opening of the lines to Littlehampton and
Arundel in 1863, and was later known simply
as Ford. (fn. 56) Because of the need for ships to reach
the port at Arundel, the railway crossed the
river by what was described as 'a drawbridge
on the telescopic principle', originally of wood,
and carrying only one track. It was replaced in
1862 by a double-track bridge of iron, also of
'telescopic' construction, which could accommodate heavier traffic. A fixed bridge was built
when the line was electrified in 1938. (fn. 57) The
station was closed to goods traffic in 1962. (fn. 58)

FORD AND TORTINGTON c. 1875

In spite of the parish's long river frontage
there were no barges, boats, or boatmen in
1801, (fn. 59) but after the opening of the railway a
wharf south-east of the station, accessible by
a siding, was leased to the railway company for
99 years from 1850. (fn. 60) There was a landing
stage on the river further north opposite the
church in 1896. (fn. 61)

A building on the site of the White Swan
beside the Chichester-Arundel road existed in
1724, (fn. 62) and was a public house by 1772 when
it was known as the Mile house. (fn. 63) That name
continued to be used in the 20th century (fn. 64)
though the inn was the Swan by the 1840s (fn. 65)
and the White Swan between the 1880s (fn. 66) and
the 1980s. Members of the Jupp family were
publicans for over 75 years, farming land
nearby in the later 19th century. (fn. 67) The building
was greatly enlarged after 1964, (fn. 68) and in 1991
was the Arundel Resort hotel. The tall, bargeboarded Arundel Arms inn, built beside Ford
station to serve rail travellers, existed by 1847; (fn. 69)
in 1852, when it was also called the hotel or
the Railway inn, it had pleasure grounds including a bowling green, (fn. 70) and in the 1880s,
when horses and carriages could be hired
there, the publican was also a wine and spirit
merchant. (fn. 71)

Part of the rural portion of the parish was
apparently supplied with mains water from
Arundel by 1928. (fn. 72) Gas and electricity were
available there in 1938. (fn. 73)

MANOR AND OTHER ESTATES.

The manor
of TORTINGTON, then four hides, was held
in 1066 by Leofwine, a free man, and in 1086
of earl Roger by Ernucion. (fn. 74) The overlordship
descended with the rape, passing at the division
of the d'Aubigny inheritance in 1243 to Robert
Tattershall, (fn. 75) but being resumed by 1454. (fn. 76)

Pharamus de Tracy had land in Tortington
in 1216, (fn. 77) and his son Roger was described as
lord of Tortington in 1234-5. (fn. 78) John de Tracy
conveyed the manor in 1279 to William of
Bracklesham, dean of Chichester, (fn. 79) who gave
it in 1295 to Ellis de Cheyney; (fn. 80) John's widow
Margery claimed dower in 1297. (fn. 81) The manor
was later generally known as TORTINGTON
CHEYNEYS. Ellis de Cheyney was assessed
at the highest tax payment in Tortington, Binsted, and Madehurst in 1296; (fn. 82) he held a fee
there in 1316 and perhaps in 1322 (fn. 83) but had
apparently died by 1327, (fn. 84) and his son William
was succeeded before 1341-2 by his own son,
also William (fn. 85) (d. by 1363). Ellis's widow Joan
had dower in 1346-7 (fn. 86) and was still alive in 1351,
when she made over her interest to Eleanor
FitzAlan, countess of Arundel. (fn. 87)

In 1373 Ralph de Restwold quitclaimed the
manor to Richard FitzAlan, earl of Arundel
(d. 1376), (fn. 88) his son William making over his
interest in 1373-4. (fn. 89) Thereafter the manor
remained in demesne (fn. 90) until it passed, under
the will of Thomas FitzAlan, earl of Arundel
(d. 1415), and subject to the life interest of his
widow Beatrice (d. 1439), to Holy Trinity
hospital at Arundel, (fn. 91) which held it until the
Dissolution. (fn. 92)

In 1546 the Crown granted the manor to Sir
Richard Lee; (fn. 93) he and his wife Margaret conveyed it in 1547 to Henry FitzAlan, earl of
Arundel, (fn. 94) who together with John Lumley,
Lord Lumley, sold it in 1567 to John Apsley. (fn. 95)
A court was held in the name of Ann, widow
of Henry's son Henry FitzAlan, Lord Maltravers (d. 1556), in 1574, (fn. 96) but John Apsley had
the estate in 1573 and 1574, (fn. 97) in 1583 John
Browne was said to be lord of the manor, (fn. 98) and
in 1587 he and John Apsley conveyed it to Roger
Gratwicke. (fn. 99) At Roger's death without issue in
1596 the manor passed to his cousin (Sir) William
Gratwicke of East Malling (Kent) (fn. 100) (d. 1613),
whose son William (fn. 101) (d. in or after 1651) (fn. 102) was
succeeded in turn by his sons William (d.s.p.
1666) and Francis (d.s.p. 1670), (fn. 103) Francis's heir
being his nephew Oliver Weekes (d. 1689). (fn. 104)
Oliver's son Carew Weekes, M.P. for Arundel, (fn. 105)
and his wife Catherine sold the manor in 1706
to William Leeves of Arundel. (fn. 106) At William's
death in 1710 (fn. 107) the lordship passed to his eldest
son Robert (d. 1743), who was succeeded by
his son, also Robert (d.s.p. 1744). In 1790 the
younger Robert's brothers-in-law and heirs
Robert Edwards, Robert Lamport, and Henry
Johnson conveyed Tortington to the duke of
Norfolk, (fn. 108) after which it again descended with
the rape. (fn. 109)

The demesne lands of the manor were separated
from the lordship in 1710, passing successively to
William Leeves's younger sons William (d. 1717
× 1724) and Richard (d. 1738), Richard's son and
heir William (d. 1764) being succeeded by his
son William Mill Leeves (d. 1788). (fn. 110) In 1738
there were c. 400 a. in Tortington besides land
in Binsted. (fn. 111) After the death of William Mill
Leeves's widow Elizabeth in 1809 the estate
passed to his cousin William Fowler, who took
the surname Leeves and died in 1837. (fn. 112) By 1819
it comprised 1,054 a. (fn. 113) William Leeves's son
and heir William sold it in 1839 to the banker
John Smith of Dale Park in Madehurst (d. by
1842), whose son John Abel Smith, with James
Hamilton, marquess of Abercorn, and others
conveyed it in 1853 to Joseph M. Montefiore. (fn. 114)
He and the duke of Norfolk were the two chief
landowners in the parish in 1870. (fn. 115) After the
duke's purchase of the Tortington estate, then
comprising 965 a., in 1879, virtually all the
parish belonged to the Norfolk estate (fn. 116) except
for 30 a. in the south-west which, however, were
acquired from the Slindon estate in 1907. (fn. 117) The
trustees of the late Bernard, duke of Norfolk,
retained woodland in the north and north-west
in 1995, but most of the agricultural land had
been sold by then to the Luckin family, previously tenants. (fn. 118)

The original manor house, called Manor
Farm in 1990, is a substantial 17th-century
building of red brick incorporating parts of a
16th-century house, notably the windows with
hoodmoulds on the north façade. Behind the
modern porch on the south façade is an 18th-century-style Portland stone pilastered door
surround. Adjacent freestanding walls have diaper
brickwork and a depressed-arched opening of
16th-century character, and a stone with the
inscription RG/1590 for Roger Gratwicke.
Another stone reading 1659 G/WM, for William
Gratwicke and his wife, was recorded in the
later 18th century when the building had become
a farmhouse. (fn. 119) Several fragments of medieval
stonework evidently from the priory survive
both in the house and in its outbuildings. In
1666 the building had a hall, kitchen, great and
little parlours, and at least 10 chambers, besides extensive outbuildings. (fn. 120) The house has
been altered at various later dates, notably in
the early 19th century. The walled garden to
the north is apparently 18th-century. (fn. 121)

A new house, later called Tortington House, (fn. 122)
was built shortly before 1699. (fn. 123) It is presumably
represented by the lower range with attic dormers
depicted in 1782 behind a grander two-storeyed
north-facing range of five bays with a central
pediment, which was perhaps built in 1739. (fn. 124)
The north range survived in 1988, but the south
range was replaced in the early 19th century; (fn. 125)
at the same time the interior was remodelled and
extensively refitted. Either then or a little later
a service block was added to the west, and
further remodelling of the ground floor, partly
in Gothic style, and of the staircase took place
in the later 19th century. (fn. 126) In 1921 there were
19 bedrooms. (fn. 127) After having various occupiers
in the 19th century and early 20th, (fn. 128) the house
was converted into a Catholic girls' boarding
school called Tortington Park school in 1922; in
the mid 1960s before closure in 1969 there were
c. 200 pupils. (fn. 129) Extensive additions were made
for the school in the 1920s and 30s. (fn. 130) Since 1971
the building has been used as the English campus of New England College at Henniker (New
Hampshire), with c. 200-270 students. (fn. 131)

North-west of the house were late 18th-century stables round three sides of a courtyard,
which was entered through a tall archway; (fn. 132)
much of the block survived in 1988 though
converted to other uses.

Pleasure grounds north and north-east of the
house had been laid out by 1813, the road
between Priory Farm and the church being
afterwards diverted to the west. They were
replaced by a new layout on the south side,
including a pond, before 1840. Two other ornamental ponds existed further west by the same
date; (fn. 133) they survived in 1852 (fn. 134) but had been filled
in by the 1870s. (fn. 135) In the early 19th century the
house was approached from the north by way of
a pair of flint-and-brick lodges on the Chichester-Arundel road that survived in 1991. (fn. 136) An
alternative, eastern, approach, which by 1876 (fn. 137)
had become the main one, was provided after
the construction of Ford Road in 1846. (fn. 138) A
nine-hole golf course was laid out in the grounds
after 1922. (fn. 139)

The Tortington priory estate, called a manor
in 1380, (fn. 140) was the later PRIORY FARM. In
the early 16th century it comprised 160 a. of
demesne besides tenants' lands. (fn. 141) At the Dissolution it was granted in tail male to the priory's
last lessee Henry FitzAlan, Lord Maltravers
(d. 1556), (fn. 142) but before 1582 it was resumed by
the Crown, being leased in that year to Philip
Howard, earl of Arundel. (fn. 143) After his attainder
in 1589 it was leased successively by the Crown
to Thomas Sackville, Lord Buckhurst, in 1590, (fn. 144)
and to George, John, and Francis Holmden for
three lives in 1594. (fn. 145) In 1600 it was granted to
Sir John Spencer, lord mayor of London (d.
1610), passing to his daughter Elizabeth and her
husband William Compton, earl of Northampton
(d. 1630). (fn. 146) In 1606 the estate was reckoned at
284 a. including common land, (fn. 147) and in 1669 it
had 193 a. (fn. 148) William's son and heir Spencer sold
it in 1633 to William Thomas of Westdean near
Seaford (fn. 149) (d. 1640), from whose son and heir
William it passed c. 1654 to his son Francis. (fn. 150) Sir
William Thomas, Bt. (d. 1706), had it in 1669 (fn. 151)
and conveyed it in 1698 to Richard Scrase. After
Scrase's sale of it in 1714 or 1715 to William
Leeves (fn. 152) it descended with the demesne lands of
Tortington manor. (fn. 153)

The house called Tortington Priory House (fn. 154)
had an east-west range with a cross wing at the
east end. It apparently included part of the
medieval priory buildings, since an outbuilding
depicted in 1606 at its south-east corner (fn. 155) is
presumably represented by the barn which survived in 1995, (fn. 156) containing remains of the mid
13th-century church: part of the north wall of
the nave, including two wall-shafts and a section
of the vault with traces of windows; part of the
west wall of the nave; and the west wall of the
north transept. In 1656 the house had a hall,
three ground-floor rooms, and four chambers
with garrets, (fn. 157) and in 1707 there were a parlour,
a kitchen, and offices, with chambers above. (fn. 158)
The house had evidently been demolished by
1782, (fn. 159) perhaps as a result of the amalgamation
of the manor and priory estates.

A building including ashlar masonry depicted
to the south in 1782 (fn. 160) may also have been part
of the priory. Many pieces of worked stone,
including fragments of columns, survived in
farm buildings nearby in 1909. (fn. 161) The monastic
fishponds east, south, and north-west of the
priory site remained in 1990. (fn. 162)

The modern Priory Farm is a brick-and-tile
building of c. 1900 in revived vernacular style.
In the 1930s it was a school for abnormal boys. (fn. 163)

Land in the north-east corner of the parish
which descended with the rape in demesne (fn. 164)
evidently included the hide of Tortington manor
which earl Roger took for his new park at
Arundel between 1067 and 1086. (fn. 165) In the mid
14th century the earl of Arundel acquired other
land in the area from Tortington priory. (fn. 166) In
1661 the duke of Norfolk had Rooks wood (147
a.) and other land, (fn. 167) and in 1819 the ducal estate
comprised 208 a. in all. (fn. 168) Arundel town council
acquired 44 a. as building land in 1902. (fn. 169)

Boxgrove priory had 3½ a. of meadow at Tortington from c. 1216. (fn. 170) Land granted to Arundel
priory in the early 13th century (fn. 171) and in 1353 (fn. 172)
perhaps passed to its successor Arundel college,
which also acquired other land in the parish. (fn. 173)
The dean and chapter of Chichester had 2 a. in
the west part from 1566; (fn. 174) in 1876, apparently,
they passed to the tenant J. M. Montefiore. (fn. 175)

ECONOMIC HISTORY.

Agriculture.

The
demesne farm of Tortington manor had two
ploughs in 1086, when 6 villani and 2 cottars
were recorded there. (fn. 176) In the early 15th century
there were 135 a. of arable, 52 a. of meadow, and
100 a. of pasture on the demesne farm, which
could support 2 farm horses, a bull, 18 oxen, 24
cows, and 300 wether sheep. (fn. 177) Fixed rents of
tenants of the manor then brought in £3 12s.;
there were 14 tenants, most with holdings of
between 1 a. and 10 a. (fn. 178) The demesne was let by
1430. (fn. 179) The other chief estate at the same period
was that belonging to the priory.

Arable farming was more important than pastoral in the Middle Ages, to judge from the fact
that in 1340 the ninth of sheaves was valued at
more than eight times those of fleeces and lambs
together. (fn. 180) Wheat, barley, peas, and vetch were
grown in the late 14th century. (fn. 181) An open field
was mentioned in 1470, when cattle and sheep
could be put on the stubble between harvest and
All Saints' day (1 November). (fn. 182) Other crops
grown in 1340 were apples, flax, and hemp. (fn. 183)

The 30 a. of meadow mentioned on Tortington manor in 1086 (fn. 184) apparently lay in the
Arun valley, where Boxgrove priory had 3½ a.
of meadow from c. 1216. (fn. 185) Arundel priory was
confirmed in 19½ a. of pasture in Summer
leaze in Tortington, perhaps in the river valley, in 1234-5. (fn. 186) There was much less meadow
in the parish, however, than in other riverside
parishes nearby. Common meadow evidently
existed as well as several. (fn. 187) Common pasture
on the heath, evidently what was later Tortington
common in the north-west, was mentioned in
1470, when sheep could be put there after All
Saints' day. (fn. 188)

Between the 16th and 18th centuries there
were tenants of Tortington manor, of the priory
estate, of the dean and chapter of Chichester,
and of various manors outside the parish:
Yapton Coverts in Yapton, (fn. 189) Wick in Lyminster, (fn. 190) Binsted, (fn. 191) and Oldbury and Seabeach
in Boxgrove. (fn. 192) Copyholds of Tortington paid
heriots in kind in the 1550s, when some were
held for lives; (fn. 193) there were tenements of the
manor in other parishes as well as in Tortington. (fn. 194) The priory estate had copyhold and
apparently freehold tenements of up to 8 a. in
1536-7, (fn. 195) but by 1608 all its lands within the
parish had evidently been subsumed into the
demesne farm, the many freehold, copyhold, and
leasehold tenements then all lying in other parishes. (fn. 196) A tenement of the dean and chapter of
Chichester was held for three lives. (fn. 197) By the end
of the 18th century no manor tenants remained. (fn. 198)

The manorial demesnes were leased in 1532
for 70 years. (fn. 199) Those of the priory were in hand
in the early 16th century (fn. 200) but later were apparently usually leased. (fn. 201) Priory farm had 160 a. in
the early 16th century (fn. 202) and 197 a. in 1606, (fn. 203) but
in 1656 the land was let in two parcels, that
including the farmhouse to Thomas Sowton,
perhaps of South Stoke. (fn. 204) In 1754 the two chief
farms in the parish besides Manor and Priory
farms were Knowles farm in the west and Rooks
farm in the north-east corner. (fn. 205)

Plural open fields were mentioned in the mid
16th century. (fn. 206) The close called East field, surrounded in 1606 by demesne land of Tortington
manor, (fn. 207) was perhaps part of a former open field.
Since no later references to open fields have been
found others may also have been inclosed by the
same date. Closes were combined into larger
units on Priory farm by 1606 (fn. 208) and on Manor farm
by 1706. (fn. 209) Most of Rooks wood was converted
to agriculture between the 1660s and the early
18th century. (fn. 210) Crops grown between the 16th
and 18th centuries were wheat, barley, oats, and
beans. (fn. 211) Manor farm had an orchard in 1706, (fn. 212)
and hops were grown in the north-west corner
of the parish in or before 1724. (fn. 213)

Common brookland was being inclosed c. 1550, (fn. 214)
and no later reference to common meadow or
brookland has been found, though Priory farm in
1606 had the first cut of 5 a. of meadow called
Trendle mead belonging to Manor farm. (fn. 215) The
owner of an estate of two yardlands held of the
priory in 1537 probably exercised his pasture
rights, viz. 300 sheep leazes and pannage for 13
pigs, (fn. 216) on Tortington common, the heathland in
the north-west. In 1606, when the common
comprised 174 a., Tortington manor and the
Priory estate each claimed half. (fn. 217) Part was then
apparently still commonable, but the southern
end had already been inclosed by the lord of the
manor. (fn. 218) The whole common was woodland,
apparently in severalty, by 1706. (fn. 219)

Marshland in the Arun valley was held severally in 1606 by the earl of Arundel, the lord of
Tortington manor, and the Priory estate. (fn. 220) The
earl had 66 a. of several meadow and pasture in
1570, all let to one tenant, (fn. 221) and 20-23 a. of
meadow in 1636; (fn. 222) Priory farm had 53 a. of
meadow in 1606. (fn. 223) In 1706 Manor farm was said
to have over 200 a. of meadow and pasture
including saltmarsh outside the river defences. (fn. 224)
The tenants of Tortington manor additionally
claimed common pasture for pigs in the Rewell
in Arundel in 1571. (fn. 225) Pasture in the parish was
apparently used for overnight grazing before
Arundel fair in 1625. (fn. 226) Flocks of between 66 and
173 sheep were recorded between 1644 and
1755; Priory farm had 142 in 1707. (fn. 227)

Between the early 19th century and the early
20th Manor and Priory farms remained the two
chief farms in the parish; Manor farm had
380-405 a. and Priory farm between 214 and 265
a. (fn. 228) Sixteen other occupiers were listed in 1875
and seven in 1909; all the latter had less than 50
a. (fn. 229) Since c. 1910 the two chief farms have been
held together, from c. 1930 by members of the
Luckin family, who later bought the land from
the duke of Norfolk. (fn. 230) In 1956 the united holding
had c. 700 a. (fn. 231) and in 1988, when the area was
roughly the same, it extended from the river
Arun to Binsted, with the railway as its southern
boundary. (fn. 232)

Corn crops were said to be abundant in 1801,
when wheat (62 a.), barley (33 a.), oats (29 a.),
peas (7 a.), and turnips or rape (11 a.) were
named. (fn. 233) Two closes of former saltmarsh had
been converted to arable by 1842, (fn. 234) but the area
of arable remained small between the mid 19th
century and the earlier 20th: 247 a. in 1841, 252
in 1875, and 182 a. in 1909, as against totals
of meadow and pasture at the same dates of
524 a., 492 a., and 505 a. (fn. 235) Besides the crops
mentioned, beans and mangolds were listed in
1875 and vetches or tares in 1909. (fn. 236) There was
a withy bed south-west of Tortington House
c. 1840. (fn. 237) Totals of livestock listed in the parish
were 122 cattle, predominantly fatting oxen,
160 sheep, and 18 pigs in 1801, (fn. 238) 270 cattle,
475 sheep, and 75 pigs in 1875, and 200 cattle,
426 sheep, and 63 pigs in 1909. (fn. 239) Meadow was
described as very rich in 1852. (fn. 240) In 1934 there
was a dairy farm supplying Dare's dairy in
Arundel. (fn. 241) Mixed farming was practised in
1956. (fn. 242)

Trade And Industry.

A miller of Tortington
was recorded c. 1262. (fn. 243) Other parishioners in
non-agricultural occupations before 1800 were a
smith in 1248, (fn. 244) a brewer and a mariner in the
16th century, (fn. 245) and a tailor in 1625. (fn. 246) No other
examples of river-based trades are recorded. In
1821 and 1831 two families out of 13 were
supported chiefly by trade or manufacture. (fn. 247)

The chief non-agricultural activity before the
19th century was brickmaking. A bricklayer, i.e.
brickmaker, was recorded in 1620, (fn. 248) and other
brickmakers in 1665 (fn. 249) and 1711. (fn. 250) There was a
brick kiln in the north-west corner of the parish
by 1724; (fn. 251) later the site was a little to the east.
Between c. 1840 and 1852 the farmer of Priory
farm worked it; (fn. 252) in the latter year a considerable
trade was said to be carried on, the bricks being
claimed as the best in the county. (fn. 253) Between 1855
and 1879 the brickyard was held with the Swan
inn nearby, and between 1895 and c. 1910 by the
builder Arthur Burrell of Arundel. (fn. 254)

The site later occupied by the firm of Penfolds
in Ford Road in the north-east corner of the
parish was already in industrial use in 1808,
when a freestanding horse gin stood there. (fn. 255)
About 1840 it was occupied as sawpits (fn. 256) and by
1852 the firm of George Lashmar and Co., seed
crushers, had it, using part of the premises as an
oil mill. (fn. 257) After Lashmar's business closed in
1856 (fn. 258) two other firms of seed crushers succeeded it before 1866. (fn. 259) The later history of the
site is given elsewhere. (fn. 260)

A corn store was built north of Ford railway
station in the south end of the parish c. 1890. (fn. 261)
Two successive firms of corn merchants had it
between 1895 and 1930. (fn. 262) A coal merchant's
premises were nearby in 1895. (fn. 263) In 1990 a small
industrial estate occupied the site.

There was a gamekeeper at Tortington House in
1895 (fn. 264) and pheasants were reared in the woods of
Tortington common in the 20th century. (fn. 265) Riding
stables existed at Tortington House in the 1930s (fn. 266)
and there was an 'equine centre' in 1990. An
arboretum in the north-west corner which also
flourished in 1990 had been founded c. 1965. (fn. 267)

LOCAL GOVERNMENT.

There are court rolls
or draft court rolls of Tortington manor for the
years 1362, 1448 × 1455, 1468-72, 1551, 1553, (fn. 268)
and 1574. (fn. 269) At least two courts a year were held in
1362. (fn. 270) In 1470 the court regulated common pasture. (fn. 271) Courts had ceased to be held by 1776, (fn. 272) but
a tithingman still served in 1822. (fn. 273) The priory also
had a court for its tenants in 1535. (fn. 274)

Churchwardens are recorded from 1524. (fn. 275) There
seem usually to have been two before 1642, (fn. 276) but
between 1662 and 1890 there was only one. (fn. 277) A
church rate was levied in 1625-6 (fn. 278) and from
1785. (fn. 279)

A single overseer was recorded in 1642 (fn. 280) and
between 1746 and 1789. Between 1746 and the
1830s methods of poor relief included weekly
pay, the payment of rent, apprenticing, and the
provision of clothing and medical care. Parish
work in spinning was carried on in 1787. (fn. 281) Seven
persons were receiving permanent relief in 1826. (fn. 282)

Between 1795 and 1832 a member of the
Newland family served in most years as the
single surveyor of highways. (fn. 283)

The parish joined East Preston united parishes
(later East Preston union, afterwards rural district)
in 1799. (fn. 284) In 1933 it passed to Chichester rural
district (fn. 285) and in 1974 to Arun district.

CHURCH.

The living was a rectory by c. 1150 (fn. 286)
and had passed by 1380 to Tortington priory. (fn. 287)
A vicarage was ordained before 1291 (fn. 288) but was
resumed by the priory in 1400; thereafter the
prior could appoint or remove clergy at will. (fn. 289)
After the Dissolution the benefice became a
perpetual curacy. The incumbent was described as
a chaplain in 1551, (fn. 290) and two early 17th-century successors were deacons licensed to
serve the parish. (fn. 291) Most incumbents at that
period, however, were loosely called vicars,
and the benefice was often referred to as a
vicarage. (fn. 292) In 1657 it was briefly united with
Arundel vicarage. (fn. 293) From 1897 it was held in
plurality with Arundel, (fn. 294) and in 1929 South
Stoke was added, to form the united benefice
of Arundel with South Stoke and Tortington,
the parishes remaining distinct. (fn. 295) The church
was declared redundant in 1978. (fn. 296)

The advowson of the rectory was apparently
conveyed in 1214 by Pharamus de Tracy
to William d'Aubigny, earl of Arundel. (fn. 297) By 1389
the advowson of the vicarage belonged to
Tortington priory. (fn. 298) After the Dissolution the right
to present clergy descended with Tortington
manor at least between 1547 and 1596, (fn. 299) in 1605,
and apparently continuously from 1661. (fn. 300) In
1579, however, the earl of Arundel was said to
be patron. (fn. 301) There were other anomalies: the
presentation in 1583 was made by 'letters of
donation', (fn. 302) and incumbents presented by the
lord of the manor in 1605 and 1661 were
afterwards presented again by the Crown. The
Crown also exercised the advowson in 1611
and 1614, and Oliver Cromwell as Lord Protector
in 1655. (fn. 303)

Sir William Morley of Halnaker in Boxgrove
presented for a turn in 1676, and between 1747
and 1767 the advowson was exercised by Samuel
Leeves, a relative of the lords of the manor. (fn. 304)
During the recusancy of Bernard Edward, duke
of Norfolk (d. 1842), Francis Lovel presented in
1817 and William Keppel, earl of Albemarle, in
1833. (fn. 305) The advowson was bought in 1896 for
transfer to the bishop of Chichester in 1897. (fn. 306)
After 1929 the bishop made two appointments
in three to the new united benefice. (fn. 307)

The vicarage was valued at £4 6s. 8d. in 1291 (fn. 308)
and at less than five marks (£3 6s. 8d.) by 1400. (fn. 309)
In 1341 the vicar had a corrody in the priory for
himself and a servant. (fn. 310) In the later 15th century
and early 16th the living was worth less than
£8. (fn. 311) After the Dissolution the incumbent had
neither a permanent endowment nor a house, (fn. 312)
but he seems instead always to have enjoyed the
rectory estate, including all the tithes of the
parish except those of Priory farm. (fn. 313) That estate,
sometimes loosely described as the vicarage, was
sublet in the 1610s and the 1660s. (fn. 314) Besides
Priory farm, Rooks wood was claimed to be tithe
free in 1722, (fn. 315) and all the woods of the parish
were tithe free in 1819. (fn. 316) Tithe-free land c. 1840
totalled 409 a., including parts of Manor farm
(73 a.) and Priory farm (114 a.), besides woodland
(224 a.). (fn. 317) The living was worth £30 in 1657 (fn. 318)
and c. £40 in 1724; (fn. 319) in the late 18th century
tithe compositions brought in £117, (fn. 320) and average
net income was £158 c. 1830. (fn. 321) At the commutation of tithes in 1841 the vicar received £175
tithe rent charge. (fn. 322) The owner of the manor
demesnes had been responsible for chancel repair in 1724, (fn. 323) but by 1844 that duty had devolved
on the vicar as a condition of his lease of the
rectory estate. (fn. 324)

The vicar in 1521 also held Binsted. (fn. 325) There
was a chantry in the church in the mid 16th
century. (fn. 326) Curates mentioned between 1545
and 1581 (fn. 327) may have been serving the benefice
in lieu of an incumbent, since the only incumbent
known to have been appointed at the time was
the vicar of Arundel, who served 1576-9. (fn. 328)
Adam Page, incumbent 1614-43, also held
Middleton, (fn. 329) and may have lived there since
assistant curates were recorded in 1625 and
later. (fn. 330) One parishioner at least attended Yapton
church in 1622. (fn. 331)

The vicar in 1662 resided constantly despite
having other benefices and was licensed to preach. (fn. 332)
Three 18th-century incumbents held other cures,
but one of them, Nicholas Lester (1709-46), (fn. 333)
was claimed never to have missed either his
Sunday services or his parochial duties, and
always to have lived in great harmony with his
parishioners. (fn. 334) In 1724 communion was celebrated
four times a year, with 6-10 communicants. (fn. 335)
Two assistant curates served successively the
years 1753-80, (fn. 336) presumably in the absence of
the incumbent, but a third succeeded as vicar in
1794. (fn. 337) There was more non-residence in the
early 19th century, (fn. 338) the curate licensed in 1829
having a stipend of £50 and living in Arundel. (fn. 339)

The frequency of communion increased
between 1844 and 1865 to seven times a year,
and by 1884 to monthly. (fn. 340) In 1851 there were
alternate morning and afternoon services on
successive Sundays with average congregations of 25-45. (fn. 341) Vicars lived in Arundel from
1866. (fn. 342) About 1890 it was proposed to enlarge
the church because of increasing population, (fn. 343)
and the churchyard was extended in 1894. (fn. 344)
Alternate morning and afternoon services were
still held in 1897, and weekly services in 1915. (fn. 345)
Summer visitors from Arundel and elsewhere
often attended in the early 20th century. (fn. 346) After
becoming redundant in 1978 the church was
used only for festivals. (fn. 347)

The church of ST. MARY MAGDALENE, (fn. 348)
of flint and chalk rubble with stone dressings,
consists of chancel with north vestry and nave
with south aisle, vestigial south porch, and
timber bellcot. The chancel and nave are
12th-century, surviving features including
deep-splayed windows and the striking chancel
arch and reset south doorway, with rich chevron work and beakhead ornament. (fn. 349) The nave
crown-post roof is medieval. A south aisle was
constructed in the 13th century, the Norman
doorway evidently being moved outwards; when
the aisle was destroyed, at some time before the
1780s, the doorway was moved back and the
two-bayed aisle arcade blocked up. (fn. 350) A recess at the
east end of the south external wall of the chancel
was evidently once internal, indicating the presence of a chapel there, perhaps the Lady chapel
mentioned in 1500. (fn. 351) A porch existed in 1546 (fn. 352)
and there was also a lead-covered steeple. (fn. 353)

The chancel arch was reconstructed in 1750, a
dropped keystone being put in; (fn. 354) it was perhaps
about that time that the chancel was ceiled, the
result being described in 1776 as very neat. (fn. 355) It
is not clear if the timber south porch depicted
in the 1780s (fn. 356) was that of 1546. The bellcot
existed by the 1780s, (fn. 357) and was later painted
white like that of Ford church, presumably to
serve as a landmark for river traffic. (fn. 358) A general
restoration was carried out in 1867, when a new
south aisle was built, the 13th-century arcade
being uncovered and re-used, and the south
doorway being again moved outwards. (fn. 359) The
vestry was added in 1892 (fn. 360) and the bellcot
reconstructed in 1904. (fn. 361)

The circular Caen stone font, of the 12th
century, is richly decorated with a cable moulding and arcading with foliage. (fn. 362) A single late
medieval bench remained in the south aisle in
1990. There were two bells in 1724; (fn. 363) one,
possibly of the mid 16th century, survived in
1936, when the second was of 1873. (fn. 364) The pulpit
is early 17th-century. The plate includes a silver
communion cup of 1635. (fn. 365) There are monuments to successive lords of the manor: Roger
Gratwicke (d. 1596), and members of the Leeves
family. The registers begin in 1560 and are
apparently incomplete for much of the 17th
century. (fn. 366)

NONCONFORMITY.

Three Roman Catholics were recorded in the 1620s, including the
lord of the manor William Gratwicke. (fn. 367) A single
Catholic family was listed in 1742. (fn. 368) A Catholic
chapel consecrated at Tortington Park school in
1948 was also used by local people until 1958 or
later. (fn. 369)

Some parishioners in the mid 17th century
belonged to the Arundel Quaker meeting, two
at least refusing to attend Tortington church. (fn. 370)

EDUCATION.

There was apparently a school
at Tortington priory in 1501. (fn. 371) The vicar was
licensed to teach boys in 1606, (fn. 372) and a 'school
chamber' was mentioned at Manor Farm in
1666. (fn. 373)

Since the early 19th century children from the
parish have gone to school in Arundel, Madehurst, or Littlehampton. (fn. 374)

6. Above, Arundel, growth of town; soc. and cultural
activities (sport); other trades and inds. (1800-1945); public
servs. The modern hist. of the White Swan public ho. is
treated here: below, this section.